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Westward Ho!

I've been a bad photographer, as in, I did not take that many photos while I was in Arizona last weekend. I think sometimes I just get tired of lugging my camera around and I want a true vacation, even from my camera! Of course, then I regret it as soon as I get home and see that I only took about 58 photos... waaaah!

The moon over winter wheat,as I left Kansas early morning to hit the road

We stayed in Cottonwood, a lovely little town where my parents used to live. It's a great central place to stay if you want to visit Jerome, Sedona, Prescott, and Flagstaff. Cottonwood has its own host of great restaurants and a big history of its own, so be sure to spend some time exploring this wonderful little town.

If you love Sedona, you just have to visit the historic mountain town of Jerome, not too far away and well worth the 20 or 30 minutes to get there. We've loved this little town for years and always make a run for the little artsy shops, and we always manage a few really good buys. The shopping is great, the food is even better, and the views are breathtaking! I got this cool little bracelet at one of the jewelry shops for only $14. I love the inspiring words (love, peace, joy, hope, faith and dreams come true) on it, and it was made by a local artist which makes it rather unique.

We ate at Grapes Restaurant & Bar and everything was soooo deeeeee-lish -- salads that made you sigh, wine that made you wacky, and desserts that made you want to die! Highly recommended by the four of us. Also highly recommended -- the Jerome Palace Haunted Hamburger for the best burgers in the west! We've ate there before, but we ran out of eating time to hit it again. I just hate it when there's not enough days to eat everywhere. :-(

Here are a few other shots of Jerome.... I would have preferred this first photo without the car, but there are so many cars in tiny little Jerome, it is virtually impossible to get many photos without cars in them!

The next day, we spent an afternoon in Sedona, shopping and EATING.... I mean, what else is there to do?! We almost always hike while in Sedona, but we didn't have enough days to hike AND shop AND eat, soooooo the hike had to be eliminated. But of course, wouldn't you opt for shopping and eating over a grueling hike??! I mean, what do you think a gaggle of women that are pushing mid-life are going to opt for???

We ate lunch at Javelina Cantina, another favorite haunt that we go back to when we are in Sedona. Important criteria when we eat in Sedona.... the restaurant MUST have a patio so we can sit outside amongst the beauty that is Sedona. We had some marvelous margaritas and a dee-lish mexican lunch! After that, we grabbed the shuttle to Tlaquepaque, a very unique shopping complex, with boutique type shops. The ambiance there is so wonderful, we just had to take a break and sit on the balcony patio at the Oak Creek Brewery and Grill with a glass of wine and some appetizers!

Oh so beautiful views of the Sedona red rocks

But, all good things must come to an end... and actually, I was missing hubby and my girlzzzz, so I decided to head home a day early. Isn't coming back home after a vacation just the warmest and coziest?

NO, I did not come back home early because hubby torched our homestead while I was gone.... nope, not at all, I adamantly deny that was the reason I came home early!!

Now I want to go to Arizona. It's been years since I've been there and I forgot how beautiful it is. The pictures are fabulous and I know what you mean about taking a vacation from taking photos. I did the same in NM but now I regret that decision. Live and learn.

Great pictures Susan! And the bracelet is just so gorgeous...I love the words on it too! Thanks for all the recommendations, I hope I can make there one day...(Happy to see you on my follower list, yay ,thanks a lot). Love, Evi

Thanks for coming by and becoming a new stalker, er follower! I have to say that the Wizard of Oz is one if my fave movies so it made me giggle at your name. Also this is so creepy, you are talking about Cottonwood. My husband and all his family are from Camp Verde, which I am sure you know is right there by Cottonwood. And my mom works in Cottonwood! My family lives about 45 minutes south of there. What a small world

I lived in Phoenix for 14 years and visited Sedona often. It's so beautiful and peaceful there. I also visited Jerome in the late 80s. It was a bit of a ghost town back then. The artists were just starting to arrive. Your pictures really brought me back to my time in AZ.

Thank you for stopping by today! What wonderful pictures! The last two people I communicated with today were Douglas and Jerome - then I stop here and you have these fabulous pictures including Douglas (mansion) and Jerome. Spooky!

Crap! Now you have made me hungry..all that good food, and margaritas too!( My favorite! ) Those last two photos were excellent! I have only been to AZ twice, never to Sedona or Jerome..looks like a great place to vacation! Thanks for the tour! :)